They are peaceful sanctuaries, blending art, conservation, architecture, seasonal beauty, and in some instances, wildlife. Botanical gardens offer a chance to escape the busyness of life, connect with nature, and enjoy tranquil, scenic environments that boost mental well-being. These living museums offer educational opportunities to discover diverse, rare, and native plants, while providing inspiration for home gardening, art, and photography.
If you love visiting botanical gardens, you’re not alone. According to the American Public Gardens Association, more than 132 million people visit public gardens annually in North America. From arctic and alpine regions to desert and tropical regions, there are more than 1,000 botanic gardens in North America that feature vast plant diversity. The Botanic Gardens Conservation International website is a wonderful source of information regarding important conservation, education, horticulture and research programs focused on native plants. This is important because out of the 20,000 plant taxa native to North America, roughly 1 in 5 are of conservation concern and threatened in the wild. The website also includes a garden search and map.
Why Charter a Luxury Motorcoach to Visit a Botanical Garden?
Whether you are inspired by ecotourism, are an avid gardener seeking to “garden-hop” to various destinations, or you are planning a vacation and simply enjoy visiting botanical gardens, consider chartering a luxury motorcoach with a private driver so you and your family or friends can travel together in comfort and style.
Much like a luxury hotel suite, a luxury motorcoach features the convenience of an expansive kitchen, comfortable beds, multiple bathrooms, washer and dryer, and even a dishwasher. Just like a resort room, you can wake up with a hot shower and turn on the air conditioning if the weather is warm or humid outside. There’s also plenty of room for your pets to stretch out and relax and ample room for luggage. And because everything is on the motorcoach, you don’t have to worry about forgetting something important back at the hotel.
Some motorcoaches have electric fireplaces, heated floors, and state-of-the-art entertainment centers. All luxury motorcoaches have Smart TVs throughout and WIFI access. And because all short- and long-term charters include a private driver, you can relax throughout your journey. When your trip includes overnight stays, we will arrange for your private driver to stay nearby so you can enjoy your privacy.
Curating Exceptional, Customized Trips
Think of our LiTRV team as your personal concierge. We’ll work closely with you to create an itinerary during peak bloom season and customize your vacation for a smooth, comfortable, luxury travel experience. We can reserve a premier site with breathtaking views at a nearby luxury RV resort, or we can arrange for you to stay at a world-renowned resort and spa. And because we provide bespoke services throughout your trip, you have the flexibility to modify your travel plans, even after your journey has begun.
Our concierge services also extend beyond your travel in the motorcoach. Our team can arrange for a private tour of nearby wineries and bourbon distilleries, secure tickets to home and garden tours, or assist with booking reservations at a trendy fine dining restaurant.
Ready to plan your vacation? Here are four spectacular botanical gardens that will make your trip worthwhile:
Longwood Gardens – Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
As the largest botanical garden in the United States, Longwood Gardens is a premier 1,100-acre botanical garden in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, about a 40-minute drive from Philadelphia. More than 1 million people visit this renowned garden, which features more than 10,000 plant species, extensive indoor and outdoor gardens, and renowned illuminated fountains. Longwood Gardens is also home to the biggest green wall in the country — measuring 14 feet tall and with a total surface area over 4,000 square feet. It is a sight to see, with 47,000 plants.
Longwood Gardens has had many stewards of the land. For thousands of years, the native Lenni Lenape tribe fished the streams, hunted its forests, and planted its fields. In 1700, the course of history changed when a Quaker farmer named George Peirce purchased 402 acres of this English-claimed land from William Penn’s commissioners. His son, Joshua, built the brick farmhouse that still stands today, and his great-grandsons built the arboretum, that eventually covered 15 acres. The land ownership changed several times and by the start of the 20th century, a lumbermill was contracted to remove the trees. That’s when 36-year-old Pierre du Pont stepped in to purchase the farm in 1906. Though his originally intention was to preserve the trees, he began developing the grounds and created the famed Flower Garden Walk in 1907.
Our LiTRV concierge specialist can create a custom itinerary that includes the chance to see hundreds of thousands of tulips and flowering trees in April and May, illuminated fountain performances set to music in the summer or beautiful chrysanthemums in September and October. We can also explore availability at nearby luxury RV resorts, such Sun Retreats Lancaster County in Narvon, Pennsylvania, about 45 minutes from Longwood Gardens or Thousand Trails Spring Gulch Campground in New Holland, Pennsylvania, about an hour drive from the gardens. Our LiTRV concierge specialist can also check availability at the exclusive Inn at Whitewing Farm, an historic, luxury Bed and Breakfast property with just 10 guest rooms and suites. If you choose to stay there, our LiTRV private driver can drop you off there for a few nights and pick you up when you are ready to continue your journey.
Desert Botanical Garden – Phoenix, Arizona
There’s a common misconception that there is no life in a desert, but in fact deserts are biodiverse ecosystems featuring shrubs, flowers, and trees adapted to arid conditions. The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona is part of the Sonoran Desert, which is often called “The Green Desert” because it receives more rainfall than almost any other desert on earth. It has two distinct rainy seasons — the summer monsoon and the winter months — which is rare for a desert. From the diverse flora and fauna set against rugged hills and mountains to the stunning sunsets and colorful sunrises, the Sonoran Desert is a magical travel destination full of natural beauty.
Set on 140 acres, The Desert Botanical Garden is one of only 35 botanical gardens accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (formerly American Association of Museums). With red-rock buttes as its backdrop, the garden features more than 50,000 plant displays showcased in beautiful outdoor exhibits. These exhibits include more than 4,000 taxa, one-third of which are native to the area, including 379 species which are rare, threatened or endangered.
Spend the day meandering through one of the many trails to see towering saguaros, flowering cacti, desert wildflowers, sculptural agaves and other unique plants that thrive in the desert climate. Unwind and connect with nature during a sunset yoga class, enjoy a glass of wine and live music during one of the many evening events, or experience “Garden: After Dark” once the sun sets. The event features 10 immersive light displays, each transforming the desert landscape into a glowing experience. The unique botanical garden also features beautiful glass, metal and mixed media sculpture throughout the property. The habitat also supports local wildlife, including hummingbirds, quails and other desert birds.
While the Desert Botanical Garden is open year-round, the best time to visit is October through April, when temperatures are mild and more plants are in bloom.
Our LiTRV concierge specialist can explore availability at nearby resorts and spas, such as the nearby Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort or the Arizona Biltmore. If you choose to spend a few nights at a resort and spa, our LiTRV private driver can drop you off there and pick you up when you are ready to continue your journey.
Add Palm Springs to Your Arizona Trip
Since Phoenix is so close to Palm Springs, California, consider visiting Moorten Botanical Garden as well. A privately-owned arboretum, Moorten Botanical Garden’s collections include more than 3,000 varieties of plants designed in concentrated habitats along a natural trail. Cactus Castle, the Moorten’s Mediterranean style home, sits in the Palm Grove Oasis and has often been described as a haven of tranquility steeped in the charm of old Palm Springs. Our LiTRV concierge specialist can create a custom itinerary that includes time in Phoenix as well as Palm Springs. We can also check availability at luxury RV resorts near Palm Springs, such as the Motorcoach Country Club, a premier luxury motorcoach resort in Indio. Located in the Coachella Valley about 30 minutes from Palm Springs, this luxury resort features magnificent mountain and desert views. Set on 80 acres, Motorcoach Country Club includes a beautiful golf course as well as a 10,000 square-foot clubhouse, five-star restaurant, pickleball and tennis courts, and one of the waterways for boats. Most of the Class A motorcoach lots are enhanced with “coach houses,” private swimming pools, casitas, and lush landscaping.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens – Sarasota, Florida
Overlooking Sarasota Bay, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is renowned for its collection of orchids, bromeliads, and air plants. The intimate waterfront setting and focus on sustainability make it unique among U.S. gardens.
The website shares a fascinating history for the gardens: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens was founded in 1973 when Sarasota resident and passionate gardener Marie Selby bequeathed her former home and property “for the enjoyment of the general public.” The 15-acre original Downtown Sarasota campus features botanical highlights such as a captivating banyan grove planted by Marie and her husband, William, nearly a century ago.
In 2020, Selby Gardens adopted Historic Spanish Point as a second campus. This cultural landmark less than 10 miles from the Downtown Sarasota campus boasts an archaeological record that encompasses approximately 5,000 years of Florida prehistory. A onetime pioneer homestead and the former winter estate of Chicago-born Bertha Palmer, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus provides visitors the opportunity to explore that heritage via an ancient shell midden and collection of historic structures and serves as one of the largest preserves showcasing native Florida plants that is interpreted for and open to the public. It was Palmer’s family who both donated the property and helped it become the first site in Sarasota County to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Selby Gardens is the only botanical garden in the world dedicated to the display and study of epiphytic orchids, bromeliads, gesneriads and ferns, and other tropical plants. Since 1973, scientists from Selby Gardens have ventured into some of the world’s wildest places to identify, study, collect, and learn from these resourceful, remarkable plants. Today Selby Gardens’ two campuses, both established by forward thinking women of their time, offer visitors 45 acres of bayfront sanctuaries for connecting with native nature and learning about both tropical plants and regional history.
While the garden’s campuses are open year-round, many people enjoy visiting during the fall, winter, and spring, when temperatures are milder, with less humidity. Our LiTRV concierge specialist can explore availability at luxury RV resorts, such as The Tides in Palmetto, which is 30 minutes from Sarasota, or the Myakka River Motorcoach Resort in Port Charlotte, about an hour from Sarasota. Or, if you would like to experience a landmark retreat on Sarasota’s luxurious barrier island, our LiTRV concierge specialist can check the availability at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort. If you prefer to spend a few nights at a luxury resort and spa, our LiTRV private driver can drop you off there and pick you up when you are ready to continue your journey.
From lush East Coast estates to dramatic desert landscapes and tropical waterfront gardens, these destinations offer unforgettable botanical experiences. Whether you’re traveling as a couple, or you are planning a trip with family or friends, consider chartering a luxury motorcoach with a private driver so you can travel to botanical gardens and other points of interest in comfort and style. Our LiTRV team is ready to help you plan your trip. Give us a call at 800-369-8153, email us info@litrv.com or click on the “Get a Quote” button at the bottom of our home page.
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